Newark Center for Meditative Culture
Overview
Mission
NCMC is a diverse urban meditation community serving the Greater Newark NJ area with donation-based and free programs. We are a New Jersey 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 2017. Prior to that we served as a community initiative for 5 years.
What it reported doing in 2024
INVEST IN NEWARK - Ongoing grant funding enabled us to maintain ongoing programming Some of our accomplishments included: 1. Provided consistent free and donation-based programming, focusing on the BIPOC community, including weekly meditation classes and monthly BIPOC mini retreats serving 5-10 people per session. 2. Conducted five events and event series including a daylong retreat, and mini workshops incorporating mindfulness, self-care, healing movement, and nature-based wellness practices, serving 5 to 20 people per session. 3. Our board also taught and participated in off-site local community programs including a women's health summit, forest therapy at an urban farm, and a wellness series at Newark's main library. 4. NCMC has also added two local Council of Elders members to tailor programming to current community needs. 5. NCMC is looking to hire a social media/web designer and a grant writer in 2025 as these positions, formerly staffed by temporary hires, are currently vacant. We are seeking additional grant support, and we continue planning for in-person program expansion.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The nonprofit carried out 100% of its reported program work directly.
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 320530718
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2019–2024
- Website reviewed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2024, Form 990-N 2018
- Headquarters
- Newark, NJ, United States
- Rating
- 40
- Verdict
- MIXED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Buddhism
- Affiliation
- Buddhism
The verdict
MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and the website gives limited detail about leaders and governance practices.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 18
- Transparency & Controls: 78
- Accountability: 25
- Sustainability: 38
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 23.9%; rating input score 24
- Program expense ratio: 8%; rating input score 8
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Public monitoring controls: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Public policy transparency: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Public financial transparency: 0 of 5 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Impact reporting controls: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
- Public relationship transparency: Yes; rating input score 100
Accountability
- Public governance controls: 1 of 4 controls in place; rating input score 25
- Zakat policy transparency: Limited
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -198.7%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
- Operating reserve ratio: 2.65; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -70% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 16.6% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 46.7% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 23.9% of revenue deployed · 8% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 8 people listed
- Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
- Schedules: 3 filed schedules
- Filing history: 6 annual filings from 2019 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.